Sito Alonso and Ernesto Valverde, back together in Barcelona

The new basketball coach and the first team football manager both had stints in Bilbao from 2014 to 2016, while in charge of Bilbao Basket and Athletic Club respectively

www.fcbarcelona.com

01:50PM Tuesday 20 Jun

Club

20 Jun 17

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FC Barcelona’s basketball and football first teams have a new manager for the upcoming season. The two new coaches have known each other for a long time and have a close relationship. They are SitoAlonso and Ernesto Valverde who coincided in Bilbao during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons. During those two years, the former coached Bilbao Basket while the later was in charge at Athletic Club.

During his official presentation as FC Barcelona Lassa’s new coach, Sito Alonso discussed the friendship he has with with Valverde: “I have a very good relationship with him as we share a profession, humility and the drive to do things in the right way. That is why I like the idea of sharing a Club with somebody like him.”

While in the Basque country, Valverde’s Athletic Club won the Spanish Super Cup aagainst Barça in 2015 and Sito Alonso’s Bilbao Basket played in the 2014/15 league play-off and reached the semi-final of the Copa the following year. Sito Alonso summed it up well: “When we were both in Bilbao, things went well. Valverde even won a trophy! Hopefully luck will be on our side now that we are back together again.”